Introduction

The rapidly changing social and economic environment presents profound challenges to all states and nations. More than ever, in the knowledge-based economy of the 21st century, higher education is the gateway to an improved standard of living for Missouri’s residents. The imperative for change is clear: those educational systems that adapt to the new environment will be positioned to lead their states to succeed in a globally competitive world.

The collective challenge to the higher education system is to understand the key components of the environment and to devise effective strategies that will capitalize on strengths while addressing weaknesses in challenging financial times. Providing the vision, the stable and sufficient resources, and the collective action to support a higher education system that ensures the future prosperity of Missouri residents, the state of Missouri, and the nation is necessary to address the most important challenges of the day.

Imperatives for Change provides a vision that has been developed collaboratively by Missouri’s higher education institutions and the Coordinating Board for Higher Education. This plan will serve for the next three to five years as a foundation for prioritizing goals, justifying an increased resource base, allocating resources, and implementing dynamic strategies to provide Missouri residents with the educational opportunities they need to be competitive on a global scale.

Mission Statement

The Coordinating Board for Higher Education, the Missouri Department of Higher Education, and the state’s institutions of higher education will work collaboratively to support a diverse system of affordable, accessible, high-quality educational institutions that demonstrate student learning and development, encourage and support innovation, foster civic engagement, enhance the cultural life of Missourians, and contribute to economic growth.

Vision Statement

Missouri’s higher education will be an innovative and coordinated system of diverse postsecondary institutions that benefits Missouri and the nation by equipping all Missouri residents for personal and professional success in the 21st century and that is moving towards becoming one of the best in the nation.

Basic Values

Missouri’s higher education community is united in its commitment to the following core values.

Higher education in Missouri serves many purposes and constituencies, but first and foremost the system is focused on students, learning, and each individual’s realization of their full educational potential.

Qualified students should be able to attend the higher education institution that best fits their educational goals and needs regardless of cost.

Access without success is an empty promise. Missouri’s higher education institutions are dedicated to providing nationally and internationally competitive educational programs, research, and extension services to ensure their students have the knowledge and skills necessary for success in the 21st century, including the ability to think critically, to communicate effectively, and to be life-long learners.

Diversity of institutional missions is a strength of the system that must be preserved.

Higher education is a public good as well as a private benefit, contributing both to economic development and civic engagement.

Basic and applied research, the creation of knowledge, and the application of information to solve problems are basic functions of the higher education system that must be recognized and supported.

The higher education community is dedicated to making decisions based on reliable and transparent data.

The higher education community values the appropriate use of technology to enhance programs, services, research, and administration.

Public accountability for learning outcomes and stewardship of public funds are priorities for Missouri’s higher education institutions.

Ensuring the continued affordability and effectiveness of Missouri’s higher education system requires a partnership among the institutions, the state, and other stakeholders.

Strategic Issues, Goals, and Action Steps

Strategic Issue: Increase Educational Attainment

GOAL 1: Missouri’s higher education system will improve educational attainment, including certificate and degree production at all levels, to enhance the quality of Missouri’s workforce and the quality of life of its residents.

Objective 1A: Increase the percent of Missouri residents who possesses a postsecondary credential.

Indicators

1) Percentage of the population aged 25 to 64 who hold a degree or certificate, for the state as a whole and disaggregated by demographic groups and regions

2) Number of transfer students who graduate from any institution with a baccalaureate degree

3) Increases in personal income from degree attainment

Contributing Factors

a) Number of postsecondary credit hours delivered

b) Number of degrees and certificates awarded, disaggregated by demographic groups

c) Cohort analysis of persistence from fall semester to fall semester

These action steps may be taken as appropriate:

Raise the aspirations of those who do not see postsecondary education within their reach;

1) Results of assessments of student learning in general education (Institutions will be provided the option of using national normed tests and/or participation in an MDHE administered project involving samples of student work evaluated by a statewide committee of faculty). Data generated should serve dual purposes of accountability, i.e., demonstration of learning gains, and improvement, i.e., use by faculty to make changes in curriculum content and delivery.

2) Results of assessments of student learning of major fields

3) Pass rates on licensure and certification examinations

4) Developmental student success rate in collegiate-level courses

Contributing Factor

a) Results of student engagement and/or satisfaction surveys

These action steps may be taken as appropriate:

Continue to experiment with VSA and/or similar template for reporting of assessment of student learning gains;

Evaluate need for and potential structure of policy in student assessment and placement, especially as a natural outgrowth of Curriculum Alignment Initiative

Expand customized education and training opportunities where the business community and higher education institutions work together;

Offer more access for place-bound or time-bound learners;

Establish employer-based feedback mechanisms to evaluate the quality and preparedness of the graduates of postsecondary programs; and

Support programs to recruit well-prepared, new and experienced teachers in high need areas.________

Objective 2B: Missouri’s higher education system will increase the number of degrees and certificates awarded in METS-related and health practitioner fields. (Specific fields to be determined)

Indicators

1) a. Number of degrees and certificates awarded in METS-related fields, including METS-related teacher education
b. Number of METS-related degree and certificate recipients who transferred from a two-year college

2) a. Number of degrees and certificates awarded in health practitioner fields
b. Number of health practitioner degree and certificate recipients who transferred from a two-year college

Contributing Factor

a) Number of credit hours delivered in METS-related fields

These action steps may be taken as appropriate:

Work with elementary and secondary schools to increase student interest in mathematics and science while improving overall educational preparation in mathematics and science;

Improve cooperation between the Department of Economic Development and higher education institutions;

Establish and utilize a state-supported data inventory for identifying expertise and opportunities that result from research and development activities on campuses;

Provide extension programs and innovation centers with technical guidance to encourage the development of new companies, economy clusters, and partnerships;

Provide incentives to institutions that transfer new technologies to the marketplace.

________

Objective 2E: Missouri institutions will increase learning experiences beyond the classroom and service activities beyond the campus in support of promoting civic engagement, understanding international and cultural issues, and improving critical thinking.

Indicator

1) Percentage of students participating in “high-impact” learning activities such as internships, study abroad, student-faculty research, and service learning
2) Number of direct education outreach programs and program participants (e.g., ESL, TRIO, ABE)

These action steps may be taken as appropriate:

Encourage and reward institutions to emphasize and assess student gains in critical thinking, creative problem solving, and effective communication in all academic programs;

Provide incentives to institutions to provide their students increased access to “high-impact” learning opportunities;

Use technology and alternative delivery mechanisms to increase opportunities for lifelong learning by all Missouri citizens;

Foster increased cultural literacy, international understanding, and appreciation for diversity in all students through appropriate learning opportunities; and

Establish learning communities within institutions that encourage the development of engaged citizens among students, faculty, staff, and the surrounding community.

GOAL 3: Missouri’s higher education system will increase external financial support for higher education by demonstrating its value to key stakeholders and public policy-makers while understanding that shared responsibility is necessary for providing a globally competitive workforce, creating valuable new knowledge and products, and enriching the quality of life of all Missourians.

________

Objective 3A: Missouri’s higher education system will increase the efficiency with which students move to graduation.

Indicator

1) Three-year and six-year graduation rates of college-ready students

These action steps may be taken as appropriate:

Use appropriate technology to improve the delivery of instruction, the sharing of knowledge, and the accomplishment of managerial tasks;

Incorporate considerations of institutional efficiency in the implementation of the Higher Education Student Funding Act;

Establish current agreed-upon missions (between each institution and the CBHE) and reinstitute five-year mission reviews;

Provide incentives to and recognize institutions for maintaining distinctive missions;

Provide consistent, comparable, and transparent information on the student experience to key higher education stakeholders, including prospective students and their families, public policy makers, and campus faculty and staff;

Provide consistent, illustrative, and transparent information on research activities and accomplishments to key higher education stakeholders, public policy makers, and the general public;

Pursue continuous improvement and demonstrate accountability for student learning and development; and

1) Total state appropriations received for higher education operations
i. State appropriations for strategic investments in higher education
ii. State appropriations for performance funding in higher education
iii. State higher education operating appropriations received per FTE compared to surrounding states and the national average

2) Total state appropriations received for capital improvements
i. State higher education capital appropriations received per FTE compared to surrounding states and the national average